Pollinator Posts by May Chen

Ooh, our Pale Swallowtail caterpillar B2 is still on its home leaf, basking in the sun!  Its silk pad on the Coffeeberry leaf has dried out nicely.  It amazes me that the little thing can

The air has been scrubbed clean by the light rain early this morning.  It’s exhilarating to see the garden refreshed after the long, parched summer. Arriving at the Coffeeberry shrub, Frangula californica, it’s a delight

Although the Elegant Tarweed, Madia elegans is still in bloom, few insects are visiting them.  The only bees I see these days are the Honey Bees, Apis mellifera (family Apidae).  And most of them are dark,

When I first came across this scene on a small Coast Tarweed at the edge of the trail, I thought I was seeing a courting pair of Common Tree Crickets, Oecanthus sp. (family Gryllidae).  Closer

It’s a clear, crisp fall morning.  I decide to explore the northern section of Skyline Gardens from the Steam Train entrance.   As I come down the steps from the entrance, I am greeted by

What a relief to have clean air again!  I am thrilled to be back at Skyline Gardens on a cool, fall day.   Sadly, Bumps, our Pale Swallowtail caterpillar is no longer on its Coffeeberry

Bumps, our Pale Swallowtail caterpillar is growing nicely on its Coffeeberry shrub.  It has not molted and still looks like bird poop, but Bump has plumped up considerably since I found it.   Pale Swallowtail

Whoa, that’s a large caterpillar, almost 2 in. long.  It is feeding on a Poison Oak leaf among the foliage of a bay tree.  Any animal that can feed on Poison Oak gets my attention.

Bumps, our newfound Pale Swallowtail caterpillar is still on its Coffeeberry leaf.  Its dorsal view has not changed much… But the blue coloration seems to be creeping up Bumps’ flanks.  Wow! Pale Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon Lucas,

My first order of business today is to check on Bumps, our new found Pale Swallowtail caterpillar.  Much to my delight, Bumps is still on its home leaf on the Coffeeberry shrub, Frangula californica.  These

I can predictably find the Blue-green Sharpshooters now on the Coffeeberry shrubs under the Eucalyptus and Bay trees.  The bugs are mostly found on the tender leaves at the branch tips.   The Blue-green Sharpshooter, Graphocephalus

Since I reported about Blue’s disappearance many people have e-mailed me with well wishes for the caterpillar.  I am deeply moved and somewhat surprise that a little caterpillar could have this kind of emotional impact

 Due to traffic delays, I can’t get to Skyline Gardens until 5:30 pm for an afternoon walk.  It is pleasant up here as air has cooled down considerably, but I am fast losing light for

An interested female Tree Cricket is approaching a male below her. The male turns around. She quickly turns away.  There are many other suitors she wants to check out…. Here’s a pair approaching each other

Excited by the prospect of seeing Blue, our Pale Swallowtail caterpillar for the last time before it wanders off to pupate, I arrive early at the garden while it is still shrouded in fog.  I

A good sized fly lands momentarily on the tip of a leaf of California Bay.  It is a Cluster Fly (family Polleniidae), an earthworm specialist. Called the Common Cluster Fly, Pollenia rudis (family Polleniidae) is slightly larger

I go on a late afternoon walk at Skyline Gardens, expressly to check on Blue, the Pale Swallowtail caterpillar. Along the little path to Skyline Trail from Siesta Gate, I meet a male Common Tree

A tiny yellow Inchworm is resting on a senescing flowerhead of California Goldenrod, Solidago velutina ssp. californica. Inchworms are also called loopers and measuring worms.  They majority of the inchworms are the larvae of moths

I have barely stepped into the garden through the Steam Train entrance when I am greeted by this charming little butterfly, the Field Crescent, Phyciodes  pulchella (family Nymphalidae).  It flutters in front of me, then

Against the backdrop of a California Bay leaf, a pale yellow spider, barely 3 mm long, has wrapped up a insect prey in silk in the middle of its orb web.  We are looking at

Our Two-tubercled Orbweaver Spider has outgrown her seed capsule on the Soap Plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum.  Today she is resting on a 1-inch dried leaf she has attached to the seed capsule.  Did she have to

Along the paved road to the Radio Tower, dew drops have transformed the patch of dried California Phacelia into a magic kingdom.   This is but a slumber for the plant.  California Phacelia, Phacelia californica

As I am photographing our first Camouflaged Looper, my eyes are attracted to another one on a neighboring inflorescence.  See the pale patch near the tip?  Could that be another caterpillar in disguise? Yes, indeed,

As I step down from Siesta Gate to the short path that leads to Skyline Trail, I hear the distinct song of a Tree Cricket.  It’s almost 10 am.  What is a Tree Cricket doing,